Hong Kong government hits out at Inter Miami after Lionel Messi misses friendly

Lionel Messi was absent in Inter Miami's friendly match against Hong Kong XI, and this has displeased the region's government, who have hit out against the MLS club. Expectations were high among fans, who flocked to watch the legendary playmaker play in the Asian mega-city, and his eventual absence has made them upset.

The Herons are currently undergoing a pre-season tour, which has seen them play against Saudi Arabian teams before heading out to the Far East. There was a lot of anticipation towards seeing Messi play, with fans lining up just to watch him train ahead of the game.

However, to their shock and surprise, the World Cup winner did not make an appearance on the pitch at the Hong Kong Stadium. The government of the region has openly made a statement, lashing out at Inter Miami's decision not to play Messi. They said (via Express):

“Regarding Messi not playing the match day, the Government, as well as all football fans, are extremely disappointed about the organizer's arrangement. The organizer owes all football fans an explanation."

The statement continued, outlining potential consequences for the organizer of the match:

“The Major Sports Events Committee will take follow-up action with the organizer according to the terms and conditions, which includes reducing the amount of funding as a result of Messi not playing the match.”

According to Express, the Argentine legend was dealing with a hamstring strain, which had affected him even before playing against Al-Nassr. This may not be enough to calm the unhappy government and the fans who were expecting to see Messi play.

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Hong Kong fans boo Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham as Lionel Messi fails to make appearance

Legendary footballer David Beckham received a hostile reception when he spoke to the displeased fans at the Hong Kong stadium. The fans were not happy to have missed out on a Lionel Messi cameo, which led to them demanding refunds while the Inter Miami co-owner gave his speech.

Beckham said (via Express):

"On behalf of everybody involved in Inter Miami, our club, I would like to say thank you very much for the incredible welcome. We have always loved... I have always loved Hong Kong. Thank you very much for the incredible welcome. And we look forward to coming back one day to entertain you even more."

He added:

“Thank you to the media. Thank you for everyone in the stadium that has turned up tonight and been here for us. It means a lot because to see these great players play inspires a lot of young children in this country and around the world. I hope one day we will be back to entertain you. Hong Kong, thank you very much. I will see you soon. Thank you.”

There will be concerns about how the negative fan reaction might affect Miami's tour moving forward, but they will likely need to find a way to keep Lionel Messi on the pitch. Before they begin their MLS season, they will face Vissel Kobe in Japan and then head to Argentina to play Newell's Old Boys.